Ophthalmotrope



W. L. HUGHES OPHTHALMOTRQPE Oct. ,11, 1932.

Filed Oct. 12. A929 ZSheets-Sheet :1

INVENk'OR ATTORNEY w. HUGHES OPHTHALMOTROPE Filed Oct 12, 1929' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE M ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1932 WENDELL L. HUGHES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

OPHTHALMQTROPE Application filed Gotober 12,

invention relates to ophthalmotropes; that is, devices for demonstrating the actions and conditions of the eye of the living body.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a device of this type which will accurately demonstrate muscle actions of the eyes, which will demonstrate certain surgical operations relating to eyes and the results thereby accomplished, which can be manipulated to show all actions of the eyes from a point relatively remote from the members representing the eyeballs and further to show the related muscles cooperating to give like movements ofthe eyeballs. A further object of the invention is to provide superior mechanical means for accomplishing the results above outlined and other results as will appear.

Further objects and the nature and advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, which drawings form a part or" this specification and of which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of one form of ophthalmotrope embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is aside viewof the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View of a member representing an eyeball; and

Fig. a shows another form of a spring connection for moving the member representing the eyeball.

The ophthalmotrope comprises a base which ma consist, for example, of a plane wooden board. Extending upwardly from base 10 and extending transversely thereof approximately midway of the longitudinal extent of the base is a vertical partition 11 which comprises a board 12 and a member 9 of triangular cross-section attached thereto. Supported on the vertical member 11 are forwardly projecting rods 13 which are horizontally disposed. At the forward ends of rods 13 are inwardly extending arms 14; to which are secured rods 15 which also extend horizontally. On the forward end of the rod 15 (see Fig. 3) is a ball head 16. Rod 15 is undercut below head 16 as shown at 17.

Members 18 representing the eyeballs are 1529. Serial No. 399,210.

supported on the forward ends of rod 15. Each member 18 comprises a major portion 19 made of wood and a plate 20 made of metal which is secured to member 19 by means of screws 21. Plate 20 is set into a recess as 5 shown in Fig. 3 and the central part of member 19 is cut away centrally to form a chamber for receiving head 16 of rod 15. M mber 20 has a central opening cut as shown in 3 to provide, tog-ether with the innermost recess'oi member 19, a socke" for the head 16, the parts forming a ball and socket joint whereby member 18 has universal movement and is held in place on the end of rod 15.

lrlounted on base 10 is a body member 23 which represents a part of the bone structure of the head. In the human head, each eyeball has attached thereto a seri s of muscles, six for each eyeball, oi which live extend back and are connected rearwardly to points in the vicinity of an opening in the bone structure, which opening is known as the optic foramen. In my device or model I I provide upright posts 2 1- at the rear ends of 15 the body member and attached to the base. These posts 2 1 have openings 25 in the upper parts thereof which openings represent the opticforamina. The posts are so arranged that the optic foramina apertures 25 are in correct relation to the members 18 representing the eyeballs and the parts are so relatively positioned that the body memher, the eyeball members and the ioramina openings are in correct or substantially correct relative positions.

Referring to the right-hand member 18 as shown in l i g. 1, I will now describe the cord members, attached to this member 18, rep-- resenting the eye muscles. 1%. h aded member 26, which may be an ordinary tack, sets into the upper part of the eyeball member on a central medial line in the normal position of the eyeball member. This attachment r member 26 serves to hold an eye 2'? to which is attached a string member 28, which eX- tends from eye 27 through opening 25, through an opening in vertical partition 11 and back to an attachment member at the rear end of base 10. interposed in string 28 is a spring 29. The spring is provided with end hooks and the string is fitted on the hooks, a portion of the string extending through the spring and being of greater length than the normal relaxed length of the spring. String 28 and spring 29 represent a muscle known as the superior rectus which serves to elevatethe eye and which is attached to the eyeball at a point represented by attachment member 26 and which is attached to the stationary part of the head structure adjacent the optic foramen represented by opening 25.

It will be seen that by pulling on string 29 at the rear end the upperpart oI the eyeball member is pulled rearwardly which elevates the eye. The spring is put under tension because other members cooperating with this 'member tend to keep the eyeball member in a normal position. Spring 29 can stretch until the point is reached where the part of string 28 within the spring reaches taut position when the spring can stretch no further. The string and its connection to' the spring therefore serves as a means for preventing over-stretching ofthe spring 28.

An eye 31 is secured on string 28 behind partition'll-- The operator can pull eye 31. "backwards and attach it to a hook 32 on base 10. This holds the eyeballmember in elevated position demonstrating the effect of a contraction of the superior rectus.

Another attachment member 38 is set into the eyeball member 18 rearwardly of member 26. Eye 27- can be released from attachment member 26 and hooked onto attachment member 38; This demonstrates the effect of severing the muscle from the eyeball and reattaching it at a point further back. An eye 34 is secured to string 28 back of eye 27. If eye 84 is attached to member33, this represents a severance of the muscle and reattachmentat a more forward point.

On the outside of the eyeball member is a cord 85 similarly comprising a string, an interposed spring and eyes. This represents the muscle known as the lateral rectus. Cord 35 likewise passes through opening 25, through an opening in partition 11 and is attached 'to attachment member 36. As

7 shown in Fig. 2 there are also a plurality of .known as the medialrectus.

attachment members 37 at different relative 1 positions for attachment of cord'35 to the eyeball member and a corresponding plurality of eyes.

A like cord with a plurality of attachment members, eyes and a spring and passing likewise through the opening 25 and through Jpartition 11 is indicated at 38 and is attached on the inside side or medial side of the eyeball. This represents the muscle Its'rear end is attached at 50. Dash-and-dot lines-show (inFig. 1') the position of the parts when A c ord'42 is attached to the rear part of the eyeball member 18, passes obliquely under the same and over a pulley 43, which is suitably mounted inside the body member 23 and thence backwards through partition 11 and to an attachment member 44. This cord" does not extend through opening- 25. It comprises the usualspring and the string is tied to the spring: in the manner previously described. The central part of the'body member is hollowed out to provide space for the pulley and cord '42. This cord represents the muscle known as the inferior oblique. In the human body this muscle is not attached adjacent the toramen but is attached at a point in the vicinity of pulley,48. T have provided the pulley 43 and the extension of the cord back through the vertical parti- This repretion 11 to the attachment member 44 in order to be able to move the eye member by this cord from apoint rearwardly of partition 11. Centrally disposed of the device is arod 45. Rod 45 is attached to partition 11. and extends upwardly at an angle to the horizontal. At the forward endof rod 45. is a cross piece 46 on which are mounted two pulleys 4? and 47a. Pulley 4'? represents a pulley-like member in the human body known as the trochlea. A cord 48 passes over pulley 47 and is attached to the eyeball member .49. This cord extends through opening. 25, through partition ll'flIiCl is attached at the'rear to attachment member :51. This cord represents the muscle known as the superior oblique.

Referring now to the left-hand eyeball member l8 as shown in Fig. l, the same cords are provided acting inthe same way individually. Each ofthe cords on the lefthand side are correspondingly numbered to the cords on the right-hand side together with the letter a, It will be seen that cord 28a representing the superior rectus is attached to attachment member 44. Cord 35a representing the lateral rectus is attached to attachment member 50. Cord 40a representing the inferior rectus is attached to attachment member 51. Cord 38a representing'the medial rectus is attached to attachment member 36. Cord 42a is attached to attachment member 30. Cord 4862 representing the superior oblique 'is attached to attachment iit cords attached toany given attachment member at the rear of the base are the cords which give like movements to the eyeball members. Therefore, by picking up with the finger the two cords attached to any one attachment member, the operator can move the eyeball members in corresponding direction. This provides movements in all angular directions. Likewise the two cords attached to any one attachment member can be pulled back and fixed to the corresponding hooks 32 whereupon the eyeball members will be held in the position corresponding to the use of the particular muscles involved. I prefer to use difierent colors on the cords with corresponding cords having the same color. This is to some extent indicated in Fig. 1.

Instead of the arrangement above described for limiting thetension on the springs, I may use the arrangement shown in connection with cord 48a. In this case the string is in two parts. One part extends from the point of attachment on the eyeball member over the pulley 47a, is attached to the forward end of the spring, passes through the spring and loosely surrounds the other portion of the string in the form of a loop knot. The other portion of the string is attached to the rear end of the spring and passes throu h the loop in the first portion. This has the same effect. The spring can be stretched until the loop touches the end of th}: spring when no further stretching is possi le.

In Fig. 4 I have shown another form of muscle cord. In this embodiment the string 55 runs dire-ct from the point of attachment 56 on the eyeball to the point of attachment 57 on the base. The forward end of the spring 58 is attached to string 55. The rear end of the spring is not connected to string 55, but a separate string 59 isattached to the rear end of the spring and passes through the hole in partition 11 and is fixed on the back side of the partition. In this embodiment, when string 55 is pulled back of partition 11, spring 58 contracts. This corresponds to the actual action of the muscle. String 55 has no tension in the part posterior to the point of its attachment to the forward end of spring 58 when the eyeball member 18 is in normal position. In this position, however, spring 58 may have some tension on it. This tension can be adjusted by the length of string 59. As one means for accomplishing this adjustment I have shown a friction peg 60 like a violin string peg. String 59 is secured on the peg which is set into partition 11. The peg can be turned to determine the stress in string 59 and spring 58. One peg is provided for each muscle. It will be understood that a model using the chord arrangement of Fig. 4; would preferably have the same number of cords and attachment parts as in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that a great number of eye actions can be demonstrated by the device. To illustrate, the cord representing the lateral rectus of one eye and the cord representing the medial rectus of the other eye may be fastened by means of a hook 32 and corresponding eyes for the cords. /Vith the eyes in the position thus obtained, the elevators having their field of action in this direction may be readily demonstrated by pulling on the cords representing the associated left superior rectus and right inferior oblique muscles respectively. The depressors having their field of greatest action to the left may be shown by activating simultaneously the left inferior rectus and right superior oblique EIUSClGS, taking the eyes down in the left eld.

The action of each individual muscle is easily shown by pulling a single cord con the field of action of the paralyzed muscle '7 and the limitation of motility and deviation of the optic axes being well shown.

Operations that are performed on the ocular muscles are demonstratable:

(a) Recession or Tenotomy; by removing the muscle cord from its original attachment point and reattaching it to the more posterior attachment provided.

(b) Advancement; by bringing the muscle cord forward and reattaching it by its more posterior loop situated back in the muscle cord and leaving the end of the muscle in situ, it being near the limbus where it would be sewn in the operative procedure.

(0)Resection; by a similar procedure to i (5) except that the end which would ordinarily extend forward to near the limbus is doubled back representing its removal.

(d) Tucking; by bringing the more posterior loop forward to attach it to the same place as the loop at the end of the muscle, thus producing the effect of a tucking operation.

While I have described some forms of the invention, it will be understood that variations in structure may be made within the scope and spirit of the invention and that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments above described.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim. is: r r

1. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member having an aperture representing the optic foramen, a spherical member representing the eyeball mounted on said body 111em-,

her, and muscle elements attached .to said spherical member, said muscle elements comprising cord portions and longitudinally expansible springs connected to said cord por- ,tions.

2. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member having an aperture representing the optic foramen, a spherical member representing the eyeball and muscle elements comprising portions of cord and longitudinally eX- .pansible springs connected thereto, said muscle elements passing through said aperture for eilecting movements of said spherical member.

3. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member having an aperture representing the optic foramen, a spherical member representing the eyeball, a cord attached to saidspherical member and passing through said aperture and a longitudinally expansible spring connected to said cord representing an eye muscle, the arrangement being such that by pulling on said cord the spherical member is turned and said spring is contracted.

4. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member having an aperture representing the optic foramen, a spherical member representing the eyeball, a cordattached-to said spherical member and passing through said aperture, alongitudinallyexpansible spring connected to said cord representing an eye muscle, the arrangementbeing such that by pulling on said cord the spherical member is turned and said spring is contracted, and additional spring means reacting against the pull on said cord. 7

arranged to be pulled to move said spherical member and variable longitudinally expansible tension means for resisting the pull on said cord. 7 r

7. An ophthalmotrope comprising a base, a body member having apertures represent ing the optic l oramina, spherical members representing the eyeballs and muscle elements representing the musclesfof the eyes comprising cords attached to'said spherical members and passing through said apertures and attached to said base, the respective muscle' cords of the difierent eyesgiving similar motion being adjacent each other at the points of'attachin'ent to the base.

8. An ophthalmotrope comprisin a base, a vertical partition mounted on said base, a body member on said base forward of said partition having apertures. representing the optic foramina, spherical members mounted with relation to said body member to represent the eyeballs, attachment members on said spherical members, attachment members on said base behind said partition and muscle elements representing the eye muscles passing through said apertures and extending between the attachment members on the eyeballs and the attachment members on the i.,

base for turning said spherical member, said muscle elements comorising cord portions and lon udinally expansible springs connected to said cord portions.

9. An ophthalmotrope comprising abase, t

a vertical partition mounted on said base, a body member on said base forward of said partition having apertures re resenting the optic foramina, spherical members mounted with relation to said body member to represent the eyeballs, attachment members on said sph rical members, attachment members on said base behind said partition, pulleys mounted with relation to said body member epresenting the trochleze, pulleys below the aforementioned pulleys, means for turning the spherical members comprising cords and elastic members associated with said cords representing the s' rior oblique muscles attached tov attachment members on said spherical members, passing around the first mentioned pulleys, through said apertures and attached to attachment members on the base, and cords and longitudinally eizpansible elastic members attached thereto representing the inferior oblique muscles similarly at ach-ed to the spherical members andthe base and passing over tbesecond mentioned pulleys and cords, and elastic .members associated therewith representing the remaining muscles similarly attached and passing through said apertures, the cords for muscles of the two eyes giving respectively similar motion being associated behind said par ition at the points orattachment. I v

10. An ophthalmotrope comprising abody member havin an aperture representing the optic foramen, a spherical member representing the eyeball, elastic means representing an eye muscle and means for attaching said elastic meansto'said spherical member at a plurality of adjacent places. 7

11. An ophthalmotrope comprising a member representing an eye and a cor repre-' senting a muscle and means for attaching till said cord to said member at a plurality of ad jacent places.

12. An ophthalmotrope comprising a member representing an eye, acord representing a muscle and means comprising a plurality of attachment members on said cord for attaching said cord to said member.

13. An ophthalmotrope comprising a member representing an eye, a cord representing a muscle and means comprising a plurality of attachment members on the aforesaid member and a plurality of attachment members in said cord for attaching selective points of said cord to selective places on the first mentioned member.

14. An ophthalmotrope comprising a member representina an eye and a cord representing a muscle and means for, releasably attaching saio cord to said member at a plurality of place,

15. An oph halmotrope comprising a body member having an aperture representing the optic foramen, a spherical member representing the eyeball and cords attached to said spherical member representing the eye muscles, said cords passing through said aperture. I

16. An ophthalmotrope comprising a spherical member representing the eyeball and elements representing eye muscles attached to said spherical member for effect ing movements of said spherical member, said elements comprising cord portions and longitudinally eXpansible springs connected to said cord portions.

17. An ophthalmotrope comprising a spherical member representing the eyeball, a cord attached to said spherical member and a longitudinally eizpansible spring connected to said cord, said spring and cord representing an eye muscle, the arrangement being such that by pulling on said cord the spherical member is turned and said spring is Contracted.

18. An ophthalmot-rope comprising a spherical member representing the eyeball, a cord attached to said spherical member, a longitudinally expansible spring connected to said cord, said spring and cord representing an eye muscle, the arrangement being such that by pulling on said cord the spherical member is turned and said spring is contracted and additional spring means reacting against the pull on said cord.

19. An ophtlialmotrope comprising a body member having an aperture representing the optic ioramema spherical member representing the eyeball, elastic means attached to. said spherical member passing through said aperture arranged to be pulled to move said spherical member and additional elastic means for resisting the pull on the first mentioned elastic means.

20. An ophthalmotrope comprising a spherical member representing the eyeball,

elastic means attached to said spherical member arranged to be pulled to move said spherical member and additional elastic means for resisting the pull on the mentioned elastic means.

21. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member, a spherical member representing the eyeball, means comprising a universal joint for mounting said spherical member on said body member, a muscle element attached tosaid spherical member and attached to said body member, said muscle element comprising a longitudinally eXpansible spring and cord portions connected to said spring, and a second element attached on the opposite side of said spherical membe and arranged to be pulled rcarwardly With respect to said spherical member whereby to rotate the spherical member, said spring being arranged to stretch upon pulling said second element.

22. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member, a spherical member representing the eyeball, means comprising a univer sal joint for mounting said spherical member on said body member, a muscle element attached to said spherical member and attached to said body member, saiu muscle element comprising a longitudinally expansible spring and cord portions connected to said spring, and a second element attached on the opposite side of said spherical member and arranged to be pulled rearwardly With respect to said spherical member whereby to rotate the spherical member, said spring being arranged to stretch upon pulling said second element, and said second element also comprising a spring.

23. An ophthalmotrope comprising a base, a Vertical partition mounted on said base, a body member on said base forward of said partition having apertures representing the optic foramina, spherical members repre senting the eyeballs, means comprising universal joints for mounting said spherical members forward of said partition, attachment members on said base behind said partition, attachmentmembers on said spherical members, a series of muscle elements extending from the attachment members on the spherical members to the attachment members on the base and passing through the apertures representing the optic foramina, said muscle elements comprising longitudi nally expansible springs and cord portions connected to said portions, the muscle ele ments representing muscles of the two eyes giving respectively similar motion being associated behind said partition at the points of attachment.

24:. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member, a spherical member representing the eyeball, means comprising a universal joint for mounting said spherical member on said body member, a muscle element, means for attaching said muscle element to said spherical member at a plurality of places, means to attach said muscle element to said body member, said muscle element comprising a longitu'dinally expansible spring and cord portions connected to said spring, and a second element attached on the opposite side of said spherical member and arranged to be pulled rearwardly with respect to said spherical member whereby to rotate the spherical member, said spring being arranged to stretch upon pulling said second element.

25. An ophthalmotrope comprising a body member, a spherical member representing the eyeball, means comprising a universal joint for mounting said spherical member on said body member, a muscle element, means comprising a plurality of attachment members on said muscle element for attaching said muscle element to said spherical member, means to attach said muscle element to said body member, said muscle element comprising a longitudinally expansible spring and cord 7 portions connected to said spring, and a sec- 0nd element attached on the opposite side of said spherical member and arranged to be pulled rearwardly with respect to-said spherical member whereby to rotate the spherical member, said spring being arranged to stretch upon pulling said second element.

WENDELL L. HUGHES. 

